


For the Love of Merlin

by Emrys MK (mk_malfoy)



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Explicit Language, M/M, Pining, Sad Gwaine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-17 00:40:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11264412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mk_malfoy/pseuds/Emrys%20MK
Summary: Merlin has, at long last, come home. Gwaine wonders if Merlin will choose him or Arthur.





	For the Love of Merlin

**Author's Note:**

> **Camelot Drabble Prompt** 267: Competition
> 
>  **Disclaimer** : Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.

For the second time in an hour, Gwaine's mobile exploded in a plume of texts and dings which meant that, after five long years, Merlin was finally home.

Gwaine scrolled through the group text, grinning at the virtual hugs, kisses, and hearts in reply to Merlin's _Am with Will. Back in the UK at long last. Can't wait to see everyone tonight_ , followed by an exorbitant string of emojis that only Merlin could get away with.

"You heartbreaker, you," Gwaine said aloud as he threw his mobile on the bed and went to turn on the tap for a long, overdue shower. He wanted to look his best when he came face to face with Merlin...

Which was completely not at all Gwaine or, at least it hadn't been before Merlin left after their heated breakup (heated not because of an argument, but because of the sex they'd had).

The tap on at full blast, Gwaine closed his eyes and wondered if he still had a chance or if Merlin and Arthur would still be together. It seemed obvious on the surface; Arthur and Merlin had been best mates for the past fifteen years and had been a couple on and off again for seven of those years. They completed each other's sentences and, if those things weren't enough, they made an absolutely gorgeous couple.

If two men could sire a child, Gwaine figured Merlin and Arthur's baby would grow into the most beautiful person to ever walk the earth.

Damn you and your elfish looks, Emrys, Gwaine couldn't help but thinking as he lathered the shampoo into his hair. What was it about Merlin that had Gwaine so damned whipped? Before the two had met, Gwaine had gone for the rugged, fit type, more along the lines of Arthur, but nowhere near as pretty. He had been with his fair share of men--one lovely lady in between--but none of those relationships had lasted for more than a few months because the other person had inevitably grown tired of Gwaine's wild ways. Well, Elena had lasted a year, but she'd been fucking Mordred on the side, so she didn't count.

Merlin had walked into his life on a frigid February morning six years earlier, looking all forlorn and as if he'd been living on the streets, but Gwaine had soon learned that was just how Merlin was; he didn't care what others thought of how he dressed, and he ate what Gwaine called rabbit food, so he would never be bigger than a twig.

It was love at first sight.

For Gwaine, that is.

For Merlin... well, he'd never reached the love stage, but he had finally given in and allowed Gwaine to fuck him every which way there was. It had been good between them for almost a year, but then unfair competition had arrived in the form of Arthur, who had returned from his stint in the army, and that was that. He and Merlin had picked up where they'd left off.

Gwaine still got emotional thinking about that final conversation. Merlin had cried, begging Gwaine not to hate him, telling him that he never meant to hurt him.

It had ended with the most heated sex of their relationship, Gwaine pounding Merlin into the coffee table in the sitting room, both of them fully into it, kissing and worshipping each other's bodies. Every second of it had been bittersweet, but Gwaine couldn't be sorry for it.

Merlin had resumed his life with Arthur, but then something had to have happened--Gwaine still had no clue what--because out of the blue Merlin texted him and said he was going to Germany for a year to do some work with his uncle.

The Merlin of old would have never left Arthur.

The one year had turned to two, to three, to four, and to five.

But now he was back. Merlin was home. Gwaine closed his eyes as the water ran through his hair. He knew in his heart that there wasn't a chance in hell of his getting Merlin back, but he would hold on to that tiny sliver of hope that lived within his heart.

Twenty minutes later, Gwaine was about to leave his flat to meet Merlin and the others at the Rising Sun when he heard a knock on his door. Thinking it was probably his neighbor, Gilly, needing to borrow sugar, eggs, milk or whatever else it was he had forgot this time at the grocer, he didn't ask who it was before pulling open the door and letting out an indignant gasp.

It really was the height of unfairness, to have a surprise like Merlin greet you without you being prepared.

"Merlin," Gwaine managed to say, standing stock still, wanting to take the other in his arms and never let him go. "I was just leaving to meet everyone at the pub. Are you going?" he asked, curious why Merlin was here, at his flat.

"Yeah, but I wanted to come see you before I saw everyone else," was Merlin's coquettish reply, his angelic features looking too fragile to be part of a mortal face. "I need to talk to you; it's important, Gwaine."

Gwaine nodded and motioned for Merlin to follow him into the sitting room where they both had a seat. Gwaine swallowed. "Go on then," he said, trying to control his breathing.

"Arthur and I are getting married," Merlin said in a small voice, his chin quivering.

Gwaine couldn't have that. Merlin should never be sad, especially about this. He grinned, and it wasn't forced. "Oh, Merlin, please don't cry. I am certainly not worth your tears, and Arthur is worth every smile that dimpled face of yours can give him."

Gwaine pulled Merlin into his arms and the two hugged for who knew how long. When they pulled back, both of them were smiling.

"I'll expect to be your best man, you do know that, Merlin."


End file.
